Underwater gun



United States Patent C UNDERWATER GUN John D. Koogle, Bellflower, Calif.

Application June 3, 1953, Serial No. 359,257

2 Claims. (Cl. 124-11) This invention relates to an underwater gun andhas for its primary object to provide a gun of this character that hasits projectile propelled by release of gas from a gas-filled cartridge.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to employ a carboniogas cartridge as the element for propelling the arrow or dart of anunderwater gun.

Another object of the invention is to provide the novel combination of acarbonio gas cartridge, means to pierce the same and, thereby, tosuddenly release the gas in said cartridge, and a gasketed projectilethat receives the expanding force of said gas and is propelled therebyfrom the barrel of the gun in which the cartridge is placed.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawing merelyshows and the following description merely describes, one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts in theseveral views.

Fig. l is a side elevational view of an underwater gun according to thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the left end of thegun shown in Fig. l.

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sectional views as taken on the respective lines3 3 and 4 4 of Fig. 2.

The gun that is illustrated comprises, generally, a barrel 5, a breech6, longitudinally spaced hand grips 7 and 8, a trigger 9 carried by grip8, a cartridge 10 containing carbonic gas and engaged by said trigger,means 11 to pierce said cartridge upon movement thereagainst by thetrigger, a projectile 12 in the barrel and propelled by escapingexpanding gas from the pierced cartridge, and means 13 to seal betweensaid barrel and projectile.

Barrel comprises an elongated tube 14 of preferably round cross-section.Intermediate its length, said tube is provided with hand grip 7.

Breech 6 comprises a tubular member 15 to the forward end of which saidbarrel tube 14 is connected. An upper notch 16 in the breech affordsaccess to the interior chamber 17 of the breech and is of sutlicientlength to permit easy introduction of cartridge into chamber 17. Therearward end of tube is closed by a plug 18.

The hand grip 8 is shown' as integral with tube 15, although the samemay be formed as a separate part attached to said tube. The forward faceof said grip is provided with a recess 19 in which trigger 9 resides.

Said trigger 9 is shown as mounted on a pivot 20 and has a hand-pressingportion 21 residing in recess 19 and a cartridge-engaging portion 22extending into chamber 17 of the breech. The latter portion is formed topartly encompass the rounded end 23 of said cartridge to retain thelatter against accidental displacement from chamber 17. An expansionspring 24 between plug 18 and trigger portion 22 acts to urge the latterinto lirm yet resilient engagement with cartridge 10.

The cartridge 10, as illustrated, is conventional of the type used forcharging Water with carbonic gas, although the form thereof may vary. Asshown, said cartridge is elongated and has a reduced end 25, opposed torounded end 23, that is adapted to be pierced and, when pierced, effectsrelease of the gas stored in said cartridge.

The means 11 is shown as a hardened fitting 26 carried by a wall 27 inthe end of barrel tube 14 that is litted into breech tube 15. Saidfitting is provided with a central bore 28 and with a sharp-pointed end29 that is directed toward trigger portion 22 and punctures cartridge10.

The projectile 12 is a generally conventional dart or arrow that isloosely fitted in barrel 5. The novel feature of said projectile residesin the sealing means 13 that comprises one or more O-rings 30 carried bythe rear end of the projectile so as to seal between the latter andbarrel 5. In order to minimize friction between O-rings 30 and thebarrel wall, the former may be coated with a lubricant. Therefore, theeffective range of the projectile is not unduly lessened by friction inthe barrel.

In use, the cartridge is introduced through notch 16 into chamber 17 andthe reduced end 25 of said cartridge is placed against sharp-pointed end29 of fitting 26. The opposite rounded end 23 of said cartridge is thenpressed against trigger portion 22 which retracts against the relativelylight pressure of spring 24 and allows the cartridge to assume analigned position in chamber 17. The pressure of spring 24, exertedthrough trigger portion 22, firmly holds the cartridge in place but witha resilient force that is too light to elfect puncturing of thecartridge by end 29.

The gun is operated by squeezing on hand grip 8 and trigger portion 21to thereby force the cartridge in a forward direction and impale the end25 of the latter on point 29. As the cartridge is punctured, thecompressed gas stored therein is suddenly released, passes through bore28 of fitting 26, and becomes effective on the adjacent end ofprojectile 12 to propel the latter outward from barrel 5. Since O-rings30 provide against leakage loss, the full force of said gas is effectiveto propel the projectile. After expenditure of the gas as above, theempty cartridge is replaced by a full one and the gun is again ready tooperate.

While I have illustrated and described what I now contemplate to be thebest mode of carrying out my invention, the construction is, of course,subject to modification without departingfrom the spirit and scope ofthe invention. It is, therefore, not desired to restrict the inventionto the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but tocover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim and desire to besecured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a gun having a breech provided with a chamber, acartridge filled with expandable gas and occupying said chamber, anorificed sharp-pointed fitting engaged by a puncturable end of saidcartridge and having its orice directed to open into said chamber, andmeans to press the cartridge against said fitting to puncture the sameto release the gas in the cartridge and forwardly propel a projectile insaid gun, said means including a trigger-mounted on a transverse pivotand provided with a portion embracing the end of the cartridge oppositethe puncturable end thereof, and a spring in said breech normallyholding said trigger in a first position against said cartridge toretain the latter 'against' said itting, said trigger being movable onits pivot to a second position to urge said cartridge forwardly f'orpenetration by said oriced itting.

2..,In combination, a. gun having a. breech provided with a chamber andVa depending hand-gripping member formed with` a vertically extendinglforwardly facing recess, atcartridgelled with an.v expandable gasandoccupyingv said chamber,A an oriced sharp-pointed tting: engaged by apuncturable end of saidi cartridgeY and4 having its orifice directed toopen intoy said chamber, andmeans to press the cartridge against saidtting to puncture the same to release the. gas in the cartridge andIforwardly propel a projectile insaid gun said. means comprising. atrigger pivoted between the walls dening said recess. to move relative;to the breech and provided with an extension contoured to snugly embracethe adjacent. end of the "urging sai'cl' trigger extension t'o lightlyyet' `r'ml`y press the cartridge against the punefturing fitting.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,957,285 Oehrnichen May 1, 1934 2,504,525 Holderness Apr. 18, 19502,545,586 Pollak Mar. 20, 1951 2,660,993 Blakeslee Dec. 1, 1953 FOREIGNPATENTS 693,251 France Aug. 19, 1930 607,444 Great Britain Aug. 31, 1948

